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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25737490">Setting The Alarm Clock</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsincerelyCrowley/pseuds/InsincerelyCrowley'>InsincerelyCrowley</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Good Omens Lockdown Fics [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman &amp; Terry Pratchett</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Attempt at Humor, Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley Takes a Nap (Good Omens), Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), M/M, One Shot, Post-Episode: Good Omens: Lockdown, Soft Aziraphale (Good Omens), Soft Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Soft Crowley (Good Omens), Some Humor, South Downs Cottage (Good Omens), Tooth-Rotting Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:07:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25737490</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsincerelyCrowley/pseuds/InsincerelyCrowley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Crowley has finally woken up from his Lockdown nap, only to find that something very strange has been happening in his flat. </p><p>My contribution to the Good Omens #AwakeTheSnake Event.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Good Omens Lockdown Fics [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1866997</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>137</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>AwakeTheSnake</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Setting The Alarm Clock</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Can be read as a stand alone or as a continuation of my #AngelWYD fic 'October'. </p><p>('October' is linked as the 1st part of my Good Omens Lockdown Fics Series.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Crowley hated mornings. So, it was particularly irritating that it happened to be a morning when he woke from his nap. At least, he thought it was morning, judging from the noise of birds nesting outside his window – annoying little buggers.</p><p>Crowley was just about to roll over and check what time (month?) it was, when he noticed something…odd. There was a strange smell to his flat. It almost smelled like someone had been - baking? That couldn’t be right though, could it?</p><p>Finally opening his eyes and levering himself out of bed, Crowley found that the smell was just the start of some unusual occurrences. Taking a good look around his bedroom he saw…almost nothing. All his furniture and belongings were gone apart from the bed and the bedside table. The table itself held nothing but his phone and a glass of water (which had not been there before he went to sleep).</p><p>Confusion mounting, Crowley left his bedroom, and promptly tripped over a pile of boxes left just outside the doorway. This was another thing that had definitely not been there before his nap. Peaking inside the box at the top of the pile, he saw that it was filled with some of the smaller items from his office. His globe, various astronomy books, and his prized sketch of the Mona Lisa were all stashed away inside. Something weird was going on here.</p><p>Intending to check his office for himself, Crowley stopped as he passed his plant room. Something was wrong. There was a distinct lack of fear coming from inside. Peeking into the room, he was horrified to find that it had been completely cleared out. There was nothing left but a few (still pristine) leaves on the floor. Something that felt a lot like anger clenched in his gut at the sight.</p><p>Pushing away from the door, Crowley entered his office and felt the clench in his stomach grow tighter. His throne was gone. Someone had taken his throne. If he was angry before, he was furious now. Gritting his teeth Crowley stomped back out of the office, and immediately doubled back when he noticed yet another empty space from the corner of his eye. Staring at the bare hallway floor where his statue of good and evil…wrestling…had once been, Crowley found himself thoroughly perplexed at how anyone had managed to get something like that out of the building without him noticing.</p><p>He was broken out of his confused musings by the sound of humming originating from his kitchen (absently he noted that it resembled Beethoven’s Symphony no. 6). Snarling and just barely resisting the urge to summon hellfire, Crowley went to confront whoever had invited themselves into his flat.</p><p>Striding into the room with as much swagger as a demon in silk pyjamas could muster, Crowley’s eyes widened when he found almost every available surface covered in cake. Looking around what had once been his kitchen, his gaze landed on the figure facing the oven.</p><p>“Angel?”</p><p>Aziraphale jolted at the sound and turned around. Catching sight of Crowley, he broke into a brilliant smile that made the demon’s heart stutter in his chest.</p><p>“Crowley! Oh, my dear I’m so glad you’re finally awake!”</p><p>Crowley stared for a moment, willing his brain to switch back online. He tried desperately to make sense of the scene in front of him, but after a few moments had to admit defeat and ask “Angel, what’s going on?”</p><p>Aziraphale’s smile only seemed to get brighter.</p><p>“Well I did tell you I’d taken up baking before you went to sleep dear.” Seeming to notice the state of the kitchen he chuckled and added “although I admit, I may have gotten a little carried away.”</p><p>Crowley blinked. “Yes, I can see that, but what are you doing <em>here</em>?”</p><p>Aziraphale seemed unfazed by the question.</p><p>“Oh, of course – well, it occurred to me that you’ve acquired a lovely collection of plants over the years. I was dreadfully concerned about what would happen to them in your absence, so I just popped in to check on the poor dears. I fully intended to go straight back to the bookshop when I was done, but…”</p><p>“But?”</p><p>The angel fidgeted slightly. “I may have become a little distracted, and never actually got around to leaving…”</p><p>Crowley fought hard to push aside the warmth blossoming in his chest. “So, you’ve just been living here while I was asleep then?”</p><p>“For the most part, yes. I have been out once or twice to attend to some important business, but I’ve always seemed to find my way back here.”</p><p>“I thought you said visiting was against the rules?”</p><p>“It was! The rules have been somewhat relaxed now. Households can meet under certain circumstances…and…I got worried when you didn’t call. I had to make sure you were safe.”</p><p>There was that warmth again, it was harder to push aside this time. Crowley sniffed and tried to appear nonchalant. “I left you a message.”</p><p>“I know, but I had to make sure – if only for my own peace of mind. However, once I was here, I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving you. I didn’t want you to be alone.”</p><p>Crowley felt a lump come to his throat. As he was trying to swallow past it, a thought suddenly occurred to him. “Wait – did you pack all my things?”</p><p>Aziraphale smiled and nodded. “Yes, of course.”</p><p>Crowley blinked again. The angel admitted it so easily, as though turning up to someone else’s flat and packing up all their belonging while they slept was a perfectly reasonable thing to do. “I-I’m gonna regret asking but –”</p><p>“Well I didn’t exactly know how long you would be asleep for dearest. I thought it best to just make a start and hope everything would be ready for when you woke up.”</p><p>Crowley had the impression he was missing a vital piece of information. “What – Angel, what on earth are you talking about?”</p><p>Aziraphale seemed to consider his answer for a moment. “While you were asleep, I started thinking about how there’s still so much that can keep us separated. This lockdown is just the latest in a long list. I know we’ve been apart before, and this shouldn’t be any different – but it <em>is</em> different now Crowley. I want it to be different now.”</p><p>“Different how?” The words felt heavy on Crowley’s tongue.</p><p>Aziraphale smiled. “The solution is obvious when you think about it my dear. After all, no one could ever object to us seeing each other if we lived together, now could they?”</p><p>The angel looked immensely proud of himself as he finished speaking. Meanwhile Crowley was having an extraordinarily hard time processing what had been said. He let out a string of cut-off noises before finally forcing out “So, what? You’re planning on moving me into the bookshop then?”</p><p>Aziraphale scoffed. “Of course I’m not moving you into the bookshop my dear – the living space is much too cramped for both of us. No dearest, the bookshop wouldn’t work at all I’m afraid. Although I’m not sure that I can bare to part with it completely…no, I think I’ll keep hold of it as extra storage for my collection. Oh, and it would be awfully convenient for us to have somewhere to stay for night or two on the occasions we come back to London. You should certainly have the option of not driving back straight away if it’s late. Of course I suppose we could just as well stay here on those occasions – if you want to keep hold of the flat that is.”</p><p>Crowley felt like he and Aziraphale were having two vastly different conversations, but he was making a valiant effort to piece them together. “Whoa, Whoa, Angel slow down – what do mean when we <em>visit</em> London? And <em>If</em> I keep hold of this place? I’m trying to keep up here, really I am, but you’re gonna have to help me out a little.”</p><p>“Well I just thought that we’d need a little more space, and it might be nice to get out of the city – go somewhere quieter. Here.”</p><p>Aziraphale produced a travel agents’ brochure from underneath a plate of scones. Flicking the brochure open, he turned it towards Crowley, showing him an advertisement for a beautiful cottage. Voice brimming with enthusiasm, Aziraphale continued. “It has a garden, and plenty of space for my most treasured books - the view is simply breath-taking! It’s just down the road from the most delightful little bakery! Oh, and it’s close to a valley called Devil’s Dyke – I thought you would appreciate that.” He gave Crowley a wry smile.</p><p>Opening and closing his mouth a few times Crowley tried again to grasp where the angel was going with this. “Angel – I still have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Why are you showing me pictures of a cottage?”</p><p>“Well because it’s ours of course!”</p><p>“What do you mean it’s ours?”</p><p>“I bought it.”</p><p>“You – you bought a cottage?”</p><p>“Well – yes.”</p><p>“For us?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“To live in – together?”</p><p>“Yes, obviously to live in together Crowley, I wouldn’t buy a cottage just for myself, now would I?”</p><p>Crowley was silent for a long time, just staring at Aziraphale. Long enough that Aziraphale’s smile faded and he began to fidget under the scrutiny.</p><p>“You’re not happy.” The angel stated bluntly. “I knew I should have waited – and I definitely should have asked before just packing up your belongings! I had no right to do that. I shouldn’t have just assumed you would want the same thing. I’m so sorry…I-I just got excited, and I fear I’ve gotten rather carried away…”</p><p>“Angel, Angel, stop – I didn’t say I wasn’t happy, did I?”</p><p>Aziraphale wrung his hands together. “You’re not upset with me?”</p><p>“Of course I’m not – I’m just…. surprised. It was a surprise, that’s all.”</p><p>The angel hesitated for a moment before venturing “a good one?”</p><p>Crowley smiled softly. “The very best.”</p><p>Aziraphale visibly sagged in relief. He smiled at the demon before jolting upright with a sudden realization. “Oh! I completely forgot – you’ve only just woken up. You must be hungry. Sit down and I’ll get you some cake.”</p><p>“I’m fine Angel.” Crowley tried to protest, but Aziraphale was already ushering him to sit at the breakfast bar.</p><p>“Nonsense – you’ve been asleep for months; you may be a demon, but you still need to eat something.” Aziraphale said placing a slice of sponge cake and a cup of coffee next to him. Crowley instantly lifted the cup to his lips to hide the ridiculous smile forming there at the Angel’s fussing.</p><p>“So, when did you want to move in?” The demon asked.</p><p>Aziraphale froze for a moment. “You’re sure Crowley? You’re not just indulging me? Because if you need more time…”</p><p>“I’m sure Angel, there’s nothing to think about. Just say when and we’ll go.”</p><p>Aziraphale lit up at immediately. “We can go whenever we want. I’ve been popping out to the cottage whenever I can to get it ready and move things over – there’s barely anything left to do. We could go now if we wanted!”</p><p>Crowley chuckled – “Well maybe we can wait until after breakfast, but if you want to go today then we will.” He paused. “So, go on then – I know you’re just dying to tell me all about it down to which curtains you’ve picked out.” He teased.</p><p>Aziraphale was all too happy to comply, and launched into excited chatter about their cottage as the demon felt the smile he’d been holding back break free.</p><p>Crowley didn’t need to see the cottage to know that it would be perfect. Anywhere the angel picked out for them would have been. The building and the location didn’t matter, Crowley’s home had always been Aziraphale.  </p>
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